FOOD
Italian food has taken the world by storm. It is popular in restaurants, take-aways and in the home. There is a large range of Italian foods and they have their origins in regional products.
An eclectic list of Umbrian specialities
Olive oil
Umbria's combination of cool climate/mountains and the Moraiolo variety of olive produce spicy olive oils with a delicious green colour. Of course as olive growers we would put it on the top of our list. More on olive oil and the special characteristics of oil from Podere valle Pulcini. Olive oil can be purchased from our stocks or the frantoio (olive mill) at Monteleone or from specialist shops in Orvieto.
While Tuscany seems to receive most of the accolades in the press Umbria oil is just as good and sometimes better.
This is the romantic version of pressing the olives with stone wheels. It can still be found in Umbria but most of the oil is produced with modern equipment. I have to admit the quality of the oil is better.
Bread
The local bread is cheap, made without salt and sets like concrete in 8 hours. It has little to recommend it. It is really good for panizinella the bread salad but I cannot think what else. Don't worry there are other types of bread such as foccacia with olive oil that are delicious.
Biscuits and cakes
These often have a local basis and a seasonal one. Special cakes are produced for seasonal festivals.
All these traditional dishes are available in ristorante and also in supermarkets and small shops throughout Umbria. The Umbri are not only proud of their traditional food but they are addicted to it.
Most products bought in shops and supermarkets are home made and fresh. Fabro has an excellent baker.
Lumachelle
Snail shaped buns (hence the name - Lumache are snails) flavoured with cheese and bacon but definitely not snails! The best are found in Fabro.
Fruit and vegetables
Italian food is dependent on lots of fresh vegetables, herbs and fruit which are available in abundance in late spring, summer and autumn.
Fruit and vegetables come from local growers although in supermarkets some is imported from other European countries - mostly Spain and Holland. Most meat in local shops is raised in the region. Rarely is it imported from outside Italy. The provenance of fruit, vegetables and meat is clearly shown on the label.
Porchetta
Macdonalds eat your heart out! Porchetta (roast pork) is the ultimate snack in a bun. A whole pig is stuffed with herbs and spices and roasted on a spit. When cold it is sliced and placed in a bread roll. Porchetta stands can be found at markets, fairs etc. It is also sold at butchers shops where one sees signs such as "Porchetta every Thursday." There are porchetta stands at the Fabro and Orvieto markets.
Pecornino
This is sheep's milk cheese. We cannot claim it as local local but most of it is produced on Mt. Amiata by Sardinian flockowners. Pienza has a great range of cheese shops but there is plenty in Orvieto and local markets.
Truffles
The oak forests of Umbria are a hunting ground for truffles (tartufi). Norcia is the centre for the the top quality black tartufo and there are heaps of tartufo pastes, sauces and tartufo dishes in ristorante. Tartufo dishes and pastes are often made with the addition of funghi porcini mushrooms. The woods around Il Nido are the home of the the summer truffle. It is harvested by hunters using specially trained dogs in late summer. It is not as highly regarded as the black truffle and is considerably cheaper. There is a truffle fair in Fabro every year at the end of harvest. See Markets etc.
Wild boar
Wild boar (cinghiale) is hunted in the forests and appears on ristorante menus.
Rabbit and pigeon.
These were raised by the small Umbrian sharefarmers and are a traditional part of Umbrian food. See Markets etc.
Farro
An ancient species of wheat that is still cultivated in parts of Umbria. Used mainly as a grain in soup.
Lentils
Lentils grown in the high plateau above Norcia are particularly famous for their flavour.